Roasted Squash & Mushroom Farrotto
serves 4 as main dish, 8 as a side *Plant-Based Recipe
A unique twist on risotto using farro instead of rice. Smashed roasted squash adds a flavorful creaminess, but you can use pureed beets or greens to alter the recipe. This is an easy show stopper for a plant-based Thanksgiving!
2 cups of farro or brown rice
1 small onion, diced small
3 cloves of garlic, diced
Oil (I prefer sunflower oil from Susquehanna Mills Co.)
4-6 cups of veggie & mushroom stock made by Crowded Foods
½ cup of sherry or port made by Deerfoot Vineyards & Winery
1 Tbsp Garden Citrus Blend made by Calicutts Spice Co.
Salt & Pepper
2 cups diced winter squash
8 oz Mushrooms (Shiitake & Maitake are my picks)
Optional ingredients:
4 small winter squash for serving the risotto
8 oz goat cheese from Linden Dale Farm
1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. If you want to serve the risotto in roasted squashes, cut them in half lengthwise, and cut a flat side on the bottoms of the halves so they don’t move around when filled. Scoop out the seeds, sprinkle with oil, salt & pepper, and place with the cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes until tender. I’m using both delicata and honeynut squash for this recipe.
3. Toss the diced squash & sliced mushrooms with oil and salt & pepper.
4. Place squash and mushrooms on the same baking sheet, but keep them separate.
5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden. Mash the squash and set the mushrooms aside.
6. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or pot, put a glug of oil and over medium heat, cook onion and garlic until translucent, about 3 mins.
7. Add in farro, and toast for 2 minutes. Start adding in your stock, a ½ cup at a time. Stir occasionally.
8. Once liquid is absorbed by the farro, add more stock. Half way through cooking, add in the port wine.
Sweet & Spicy Smashed Sweet Potatoes
*Plant-Based Recipe
No one will be missing marshmallows this year! These Sweet & Spicy Smashed Sweet Potatoes are crunchy and beyond delicious. Also, potato skins are packed with nutrients. When they get all crispy, you’ll want to eat them!
2 lbs sweet potatoes, leave the skin on
¼ cup sunflower oil plus more for baking sheet from Susquehanna Mills Co.
2 cloves of garlic, made into paste
½ Tbsp Chipotle & Honey Spice Blend made by Calicutts Spice Co.
2 Tbsp Imperial York Apple Vinegar from Keep Well Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
¼ tsp local honey
1. Heat oven to 425 F.
2. Slice the potatoes into ½ inch rounds. Keep the skins on until they get crispy, and keep the rounds together during smashing.
3. In a large pot, cover the spuds with 2 inches of cold water, and salt generously.
4. Once at a boil, cook them for about 10 minutes until fork tender but not falling apart.
5. While the potatoes are boiling, whisk the rest of the ingredients into a dressing.
6. Drain and transfer potatoes to an oiled baking sheet.
7. Using the bottom of a glass or a fork, gently smash each piece.
8. Use half of the dressing and spoon over the rounds.
9. Bake for 10 minutes. Then flip all the pieces, spoon the rest of the dressing, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until extra crispy!
Salty Maple Pie Bars
Makes 16 bars (Should be made the day before serving) *Vegetarian Recipe
This recipe is for those cooks who are timid about baking a pie. It’s essentially a shortbread cookie crust with a custard mixture poured over and baked as a slab pie. Slicing it into triangles makes it look extra fancy.
For the Shortbread Crust:
2 cups All-Purpose Flour (I like Small Valley Milling)
½ cup confectioners/powdered sugar
¾ tsp fine sea salt
¾ cup butter, room temperature
½ tsp Autumn Harvest Blend made by Calicutts Spic Co.
For the Filling:
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp butter, melted & cooled
1 cup Dark, Grade A maple syrup made by Patterson Farms
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup yellow cornmeal from Castle Valley Mill
¼ tsp fine sea salt
3 whole eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
¾ cup local heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp Autumn Harvest Blend made by Calicutts Spic Co.
Flaky or coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on top
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. First make the crust: combine dry ingredients, then pinch in the butter with your hands until it becomes a sand-like texture. When you can form a ball with the mixture, it’s ready.
3. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan in an even layer.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges just begin to brown.
5. Cool slightly on a rack. Lower oven temp to 325 F.
6. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup together for two minutes.
7. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal, salt, and Autumn Harvest blend.
8. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, yolk, and cream together. Slowly pour that mixture into the maple batter. Whisk until just combined.
9. Pour the filling on top of the balked crust, and bake at 325 F for 35-40 minutes, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles slightly. It will firm up as it cools.
10. Let cool completely, then cover and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours.
11. Sprinkle with coarse salt and cut into fancy triangles.
* These bars can be stored at room temperature for 3 days.
Meet Chef Diana Smedley, your guide to seasonal cooking in Lancaster County.
Chef Diana gets it, life is busy! She’s here to help parents, home cooks, and aspiring vegetable lovers by making it easy to enjoy healthy, local food.
Chef Diana is the co-founder of Lancaster Local Provisions (LLP), a farm-fresh food delivery service based in Lititz, PA. Every week, she curates Farm Share Boxes with seasonal recipes in mind. All of the sustainably grown, local fruits and veggies work together in the kitchen; and members of Lancaster Local Provisions receive simple recipes every week.
Check out all of Chef Diana’s fabulous, seasonal recipes at chefdianaskitchen.com.
Scan the QR code to shop products used in these recipes and more!
